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Door striker pin replacement question

4K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  Dr.Jeff 
#1 ·
Question regarding Mk1 door striker pin replacement (hope this is the right place to post it):

I'm in the process of a total restoration on a Mk1 Caddy / Rabbit truck and stripping down the shell for body / paint. Began to remove the door striker pins but when I loosen them I find the "nut" half inside the bodywork is very loose. I realize that allows for adjustment of the pin, however it feels like they are completely loose and will fall down inside the body cavity if I fully remove the pin. On the Caddy there is no access to the inside (back side) of this portion of the cab's shell, so if the nut falls down it cannot be retrieved. The interior is completely removed so I know there is no access to it. Same thing from underside, bed wall, etc....no access to the nut without cutting open the panel. Obviously they were installed as the cab was being assembled, prior to welding the sections together. Common sense tells me those nuts should be "captured" so they won't fall down. However when I searched this subject on Vortex I found posts where others had the nut drop inside...so I'm not so sure they are captured. Therefore I want to be sure before I continue to remove the striker pins. Does anyone know for certain that these striker mounting "nuts" are secured in a way that allows replacement of the pins (externally) without needing access to the back side (inside the body cavity)?

Thanks for the input, Jeff
 
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#2 ·
While I haven't done this on a bunnytruck, I have done it on my '88 Scirocco (which is the same platform).... For me, they're caged. If the nut drops into the abyss, the cage is likely broken (which is unlikely, seeing as the cage sees zero load normally.)
Try this: Wind the striker pins out a bit, so that there's a significant gap to the body. If you can't push the pin (and, therefore, the nut) in, by hand, then I probably wouldn't worry about the nut disappearing.
If you're still worried about it? Get a really strong magnet. Use it to, well, stick the nut to the door jamb, take the striker pin out, and insert a bolt into its place.
 
#3 ·
Thanks.

As it turns out, after my last post, I already did exactly as you thought. I backed out the bolts far enough to 'feel' how much play the retaining nuts had before completely removing the bolts. There seemed to be a limit to the movement in all directions so I continued to remove the bolts. They stayed in place as they should. I'm not sure why several other people experienced the nuts dropping down inside the body work. Possibly rust damage to the retaining cages? Or prior abuse as you suggest? Or maybe some vehicles left the assembly line with faulty welds on the retaining cage? Oddly I also read online that some vehicles (non-VW) were made without captured nuts behind the door pins...guess they were designed to never be adjusted or removed. Who knows, but it was enough for me to think twice before removing the bolts (pins) on my truck....especially considering the truck body has several unique attributes that differ from Rabbits. Furthermore mine is a 1980 model; the first year of manufacture in the US. So it is a odd mix of German, Mexican, Canadian, and US built components. As I stripped the body shell for paint I found different origin stampings on just about every panel. Interesting how they compare in quality and fit also. For the most part the only panels with rust were the ones made in the US.

On a related note. I am surprised how affordable and readily available new replacement striker pins are for such an older vehicle. But considering the plastic collar wears out and is not replaceable separately I guess the pins should be reasonably priced. Other car makers have pins designed so just the plastic sleeve can be replaced without removing the entire pin (bolt).

Thanks again for your input.
 
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